Blues' strength-in-depth to tell

Cardiff v Leinster:PLENTY OF goings on over in Cardiff this week that may distract from the job in hand. Andy Powell's 15-month driving ban for his golf buggy antics (he's on the bench tomorrow), were followed by Gareth Thomas dropping another bombshell by announcing his immediate switch to rugby league club Crusaders.

“We would like to thank Gareth for his contribution to the Cardiff Blues over the last three years,” said Blues director of rugby Dai Young. “It’s probably fair to say that Gareth has given his all to Welsh rugby.

“He requested that he could join the Crusaders as early as possible because their season had just started, and we felt it was only fair to let him go with immediate effect to pursue this fresh challenge.”

Like Leinster, the Blues are without their international starters, such as lock Bradley Davies and their Lions Leigh Halfpenny, Martyn “nugget” Williams, Gethin Jenkins and Jamie Roberts.

Still, they look a formidable outfit.

Tom Shanklin and Casey Laulala will be thundering down the channels of young centres Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley, while Sam Warburton looks destined for a long residency at seven for Wales once Williams goes.

Not that Shane Jennings will have much trouble coping with him at the breakdown. After finally getting some much sought-after minutes in a substantial international fixture, the Leinster captain looks primed to kick-start a prolonged Ireland innings after putting his early-season problems to bed.

This may be the opening round of Jennings v Warburton, with the second bell coming around the 70-minute mark at Croke Park on March 13th.

Jennings only made the Irish bench after former understudy Seán O’Brien broke a leg two weeks ago in victory over the Scarlets, but that loss has provided Stephen Keogh with a chance to grow into the player he once promised to be when he broke into the Munster backrow many moons ago.

The most interesting selection, however, is Andrew Conway on the right wing. Shane Horgan is ruled out with a “niggle”, but Leinster are hardly starved of quality young flyers, and Michael Cheika has never been the type of coach who simply drops a kid into his starting team. Conway must be making a mockery of some big names at training.

Cheika has described him as a young man with a sharp rugby brain and the all important “X factor”. Conway has the agility and, most importantly, the pace to cause panic from anywhere. Just give the 18-year-old a chink of light – although undoubtedly there are hard lessons to be learned about the professional game.

The bench also has an interesting look. Irish under-20s captain Rhys Ruddock gets a chance to skip up the ranks as backrow cover, while scrumhalf Paul O’Donohoe must be dying to show his worth at this level.

Cheika would dearly love to keep matters firmly on track for the play-offs, but the Blues depth of talent is arguably the strongest of the Welsh franchises.

The repentant Mr Powell’s arrival off the bench should galvanise his teammates, and recent events have shown how dangerous these Welsh folk are once the momentum swings.

CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair; T James, C Laulala, T Shanklin, C Czekaj; C Sweeney, G Cooper; T Filise, TR Thomas, G Powell; S Morgan, P Tito (capt); M Molitika, S Warburton, X Rush. Replacements: H Dowden, S Andrews, A Pretorius, A Powell, L Williams, S Norton-Knight, D Hewitt.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; A Conway, E O’Malley, F McFadden, I Nacewa; S Berne, E Reddan; S Wright, B Jackman, CJ van der Linde; D Toner, M O’Kelly; K McLaughlin, S Jennings (capt), Stephen Keogh. Replacements: R Strauss, M Ross, T Hogan, R Ruddock, P O’Donohoe, I Madigan, Simon Keogh.

Referee: A MacPherson (SRU).

Top try scorer: Cardiff: James 5. Leinster: Horgan 2.

Top points scorer: Cardiff: Blair 105. Leinster: Sexton 93.

Verdict: Home win.